One of the major challenges of installing and operating optical data communications systems, such as those often used to communicate data within cellular networks, is maintaining optical power levels within the power windows required for optical receivers to correctly function. One way the communications industry has handled this requirement is by installing fixed inline optical power attenuators in the physical layer of an optical communications system. However, problems arise in this solution because every network facility is different in terms of optical power loss due to equipment and varying fiber optic cable lengths. To implement the fixed optical power attenuator solution, network operators must deploy technicians to manually take optical power measurements at one location while calibrating attenuators at other locations. Besides the high implementation and operational expenses associated with fixed inline attenuators, their presence in the physical layer of a communications network create additional points for introducing contamination and network failures.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for optical power window control.